There seem to be “National Days” for nearly everything now. But. National Sunflower Day (which my laptop informed me upon login is TODAY) seems a worthy thing. Please let me tell you why I think it’s so.
Last summer when I planted sunflowers in the corner box of Magnalia’s community garden, I depressed into the fertile soil a dozen seeds each about 3/4″ long. As I watched the seeds come to life it was, to me, a common miracle.
The sprouts turned into shoots and then stalks, some of which were almost 2″ wide! These plants towered up above all the other flowers and plants and then, as the roots sent up nutrients (think about that!) and the leaves on the stalk and the emerging flower head followed the sun to soak up its goodness (think about that!), each of those little seeds birthed a flower head that was almost ONE FOOT across! That flower head was spectacularly beautiful, and they made our bees very happy.
All that is remarkable.
Yet then (as if God said, “I’m not done yet — watch this!”) the next marvel started to unfold. In the middle of that flower head there began to form more seeds like the one I’d planted. To be precise, nearly 1,897 more of those seeds by my best count. 😮
That is why, as a skeptic of National Days, I think sunflowers deserve a National Day. They are a garden picture of God’s “theology of abundance,” a living reminder of what Christ does with mere loaves and fishes. It all reminds me of the Puritan phrase “Magnalia Dei” which means
“the glory of God revealed in the things that He has made.”
All that to say, Happy National Sunflower Day.
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